Man Charged with Four Counts of Murder; Targeted White Men

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This undated photo provided by the Fresno Police Department shows Kori Ali Muhammad a suspect in the Fresno, Calif., shooting on Tuesday, April 18, 2017. Muhammad was arrested on Tuesday shortly after the deadly morning rampage that left several dead according to police. (Fresno Police Department via AP)
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An official says a man suspected of killing a motel security guard and three people he targeted for being white is being charged with four counts of murder.

Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer says Kori Ali Muhammad will also face at least two additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon. Muhammad has a long record of criminal charges and a history of mental illness.

Dyer says Muhammad was publicly identified Tuesday as the person who last week shot a 25-year-old Motel 6 security guard. He says Muhammad told police he wanted to be known as someone who killed many white people and not just a security guard. Dyer says the victims include a utility worker and all are white men between the ages of 34 and 58.

The man suspected of killing three people in downtown Fresno had a long record of criminal charges in Sacramento. Online Superior Court records show Kori Ali Muhammad was charged with more than a dozen felonies and misdemeanors between 1997 and 2004 using several aliases. They include forgery, domestic violence, criminal threats and driving under the influence. On several occasions, Muhammad pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor within days of being charged. More serious crimes were dismissed and felonies were reduced to misdemeanors. Muhammad spent years on probation in Sacramento County with periodic jail terms for probation violations. Federal court records show Muhammad was charged in 2005 with possessing cocaine with intent to distribute.

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